Best Tent Camping near Fort Smith, AR

Tent campers exploring the Fort Smith, Arkansas region can find several established campgrounds within an hour's drive. COE John Paul Hammerschmidt Lake Springhill Campground offers tent sites with water and electric hookups in a wooded setting along the Arkansas River. Natural Dam provides a more primitive tent camping experience with a scenic waterfall backdrop, while Jack Creek Recreation Area offers tent sites in the Ozark National Forest about 30 miles west of Fort Smith.

Most tent sites in the area feature basic amenities like picnic tables and fire rings, though facilities vary significantly between locations. The COE campground provides showers, toilets, and drinking water, while Natural Dam and other primitive areas lack these conveniences. Tent campers should check seasonal availability, as Jack Creek Recreation Area operates from mid-May through mid-November. Many sites have paved or gravel pads, though primitive areas may require setting up on natural surfaces. During summer months, temperatures can reach the 90s, making shaded sites particularly valuable for tent campers.

The region offers diverse tent camping experiences from developed sites to remote locations. At COE John Paul Hammerschmidt Lake, spacious sites provide privacy with tall trees and views of the water. One camper noted, "Site B09 was far away from any other sites, had good shade, and had a view of the river." For those seeking more primitive experiences, Natural Dam provides a peaceful setting where the waterfall helps mask nearby road noise. Tent campers at Jack Creek can enjoy swimming holes during warmer months and hiking trails throughout the area. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, many tent campers appreciate the region's natural beauty, with one visitor describing Natural Dam as having "stunning, relaxing and cool" views and sounds that create an ideal tent camping atmosphere.

Best Tent Sites Near Fort Smith, Arkansas (19)

    1. COE John Paul Hammerschmidt Lake Springhill Campground

    4 Reviews
    Barling, AR
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (479) 452-4598

    "The campground is set among tall trees adjacent to the John Paul Hammerschmidt Lake and James W. Trimble Lock and Dam of the Arkansas River."

    "Sites are large with flat paved parking pad. I saw a variety of all sizes of rigs and some tents. There are lots of trees, it’s close to the river and very peaceful."

    2. Natural Dam

    5 Reviews
    Natural Dam, AR
    21 miles
    Website

    "We found this quiet spot with a small waterfall on Mountain Fork Creek that has a fairly large (semi-level) gravel parking lot right next to the natural waterfall which gives good noise cover for the road"

    "A little road noise off in the distance but the waterfall all but drowned it out."

    3. Jack Creek Recreation Area

    2 Reviews
    Blue Mountain, AR
    36 miles
    Website
    +1 (501) 321-5202

    "No bathrooms or water but there is a trail that goes directly to the day use area. There are changing rooms, no shower or running water. There was a trash can."

    "It’s primitive but bathrooms are available. It’s small and very popular with the locals. Off season it’s relatively quiet."

    4. Eagles Point — Tenkiller State Park

    3 Reviews
    Monroe Lake, OK
    42 miles
    Website
    +1 (918) 776-8180

    "The plus to that is despite busy holiday weekends, spring flooding or special event weekends, you can always find a place to pitch a tent.

    The park rangers are friendly."

    "The sites are well spaced and the lake is fantastic. The facility is clean and there is plenty of hiking opportunities. I come back over and over again."

    5. Hickory Flats — Tenkiller State Park

    2 Reviews
    Monroe Lake, OK
    42 miles
    Website
    +1 (918) 776-8180

    "Rented a tent site day before through the state website with no trouble, quiet as there weren’t many campers there that night where we were. Beautiful view of the lake in the morning."

    6. Horseshoe Bend Primitive Public Use Area

    3 Reviews
    Park Hill, OK
    45 miles

    "He knows me well enough to know if I want to turn around and since he is so nice he turned around. I couldn’t find any information regarding the campsite but needed to check it out."

    "There are still signs up showing tent camping, but they are apparently inaccurate. We had a great time and he welcomed us to stick around and hang out for the day, but no more camping."

    7. Riverfield Acreage- White River

    2 Reviews
    Combs, AR
    44 miles
    +1 (417) 291-3200

    $30 - $100 / night

    "Amazing secluded location. Kids loved having the rock bed and river right beside us. Perfect float trip back to our camp ground (free of charge to have them drop us off at a put in location."

    8. Gates Nature Preserve

    1 Review
    Monroe Lake, OK
    46 miles

    $25 / night

    "Jill was so welcoming and warm, and she even showed us around some of the beautiful trails (which are definitely “hidden” gems). Our little campsite was so cozy with a table, a fire pit and a grill."

    9. Pigeon Creek Dispersed

    3 Reviews
    Big Cedar, OK
    50 miles
    Website
    +1 (580) 494-6402

    "Just on the right is a clearing you can’t miss next to the Kiamichi River along side pigeon creek. You’re surrounded by trees, moss and running blue mountain spring water. What’s not to love?"

    10. Miracle Mountain Homestead

    Be the first to review!
    Winslow, AR
    33 miles
    +1 (479) 435-5900

    $50 - $60 / night

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Tent Camping Reviews near Fort Smith, AR

595 Reviews of 19 Fort Smith Campgrounds


  • Dexter I.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 7, 2019

    Devil's Den State Park Campground

    Ranger Review of Banner & Oaks Bull Tan Hat at Devil's Den State Park

    Amazing State Park with something for everyone

    I have been to Devil's Den State Park twice now and this is my favorite state park in Arkansas. Devil's Den State park has something for every camper, no matter how you prefer to camp. Tent camping, hike in camping, RVs, cabins, they have it all. Want to bring your horse, you can do that as well. Devil's Den has some great hiking and mountain biking trails, from short to long. If you only do one trail be sure that is the Devil's Den Trail, you won't be disappointed on this 1.5 mile trail. If you want a longer trail there is the 15 mile Butterfield Hiking Trail. Devil's Den campground includes 135 campsites ranging from basic tent sites to full hookups for the RV crowed and horse sites. Campground are all paved with paved parking pads. Individual sites have tent pads, picnic tables, fire rings and a first for me, hooks for hanging your lantern. Flush toilets and showers are included. If you like to swim they even have a pool. Park has a store to provide your food needs. Sites all appeared to be well spaced. If you want complete privacy the word is get one of the walk in sites, you will have a bit of a walk but the reward is complete solitude. Lee Creek runs through the park and a 8-acre lake which allows fishing and boating with canoes and pedal boats. You need to reserve your site before hand or at the visitor center. One thing I do like is if you arrive to late to register at the visitor center, then you can just grab an empty site for the night, you just have to register the next day by 10am.

    Ranger Review of Banner& Oaks Bull Tan Hat

    Got the Bull Tan hat and have been wearing it for about a month now. Hat fits great, looks great. This is a very well made hat with quality materials and made in the U.S.A. It has held up amazing well in all weather conditions, sun, heat, rain and even snow and continues to hold its shape. I have a lot of hats and this one is one of my favorites.

  • Troy W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 26, 2018

    Holson Valley Vista

    Holson Valley Vista Shelter + A Room with a View

    I stayed at this campground shelter while hiking the Ouachita Trail.

    The campground and shelter were built by the Friends of the Ouachita Trail and is located at mile market 16.8 of the trail. While the campground is only a few hundred feet from the Talimena National Scenic Byway it is best reached by hiking the Ouachita Trail.

    The shelter is an open air wooden structure with a raised platform, three walls, roof, open air patio, shelf, wall pegs, fire pit and picnic table. Most campers might pop up their tent or just cowboy camp on the raised platform. Our group hung hammocks from the rafters. There were wall pegs that were convenient for hanging and drying our gear or to keep it away from any little critters (mice) that might visit in the night. There are not many amenities at this campground, but it is a nice resting stop and provides some protection from the elements during inclement weather.

    The shelter is located on a gradual sloping rocky hill and has a dramatic overview of the valley when the weather is clear and the foliage is not heavy. There are no waste facilities nearby so it is good to practice Leave No Trace and pack out whatever you pack in. We found and collected water earlier in the day and carried it into camp.

  • Thomas H.
    May. 31, 2019

    Lake Fort Smith State Park Campground

    Excellent facilities

    An excellent park. With $12 million from Fort Smith and $10 from the state the renovation is all first class. There is a covered wagon in the new visitor center. The sites are lovely. No swimming in the lake but the pool is great.

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 17, 2024

    Shores Lake

    Quiet stay in a hardwood forest

    Camped in site #10 in mid-November 2024. Site 10 is non-electric; paid $7.50/night with senior pass. Overall clean campground, well maintained and managed, in pretty hardwood forest. Not busy during my stay. Sites have picnic tables, tent pads and clean metal fire rings. Site 10 was level. The campground includes a clean restroom/shower house, one clean vault toilet at the far end of the campground, trash dumpsters and drinking water; all of these facilities and services were available during my stay in November. Campground can accommodate tents, camper vans, car camping and RVs. Some sites are electric. There are no water and sewer hookups. Campground road is paved as well as Highway 215 from I-40 accessing the campground. Sites are mostly shaded, but there is no privacy between sites. Shores Lake trailhead is located in a parking area in the campground. Day use area nearby with good fishing in Shores Lake. Campground hosts Donna and Eddie were wonderful. I really liked this campground.

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 18, 2024

    Wolf Pen Recreation Area Campground

    Primitive Camping - Mulberry River, AR Ozarks

    Camped here on Sept 1, 2023. $10 camping fee ($5 with federal pass); pay station. Site sizes are okay; more than enough room for a single rig. The 6 sites are close to the unpaved campground road. Each site has a metal fire ring; most sites have grills. No tables. Campground road end at a loop. Some road noise from highway 215. Access to the Mulberry River for swimming & fishing. No water. Trash dispensers. Vault toilets were pretty dirty during our stay, so we set up our own toilet system at our campsite.

  • Nancy W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 20, 2020

    COE John Paul Hammerschmidt Lake Springhill Campground

    Great COE Park!

    Springhill Park in Fort Smith is yet another great U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campground and recreation area. We are huge fans of Corps parks for numerous reasons and this one did not disappoint. The campground is set among tall trees adjacent to the John Paul Hammerschmidt Lake and James W. Trimble Lock and Dam of the Arkansas River. The park is located in Barling, Arkansas which is just a short drive from downtown Fort Smith. The area offers plenty of sights to see (especially for history buffs) and interesting things to do. 

    The campground is open year-round. Campsites can be booked on-line at recreation.gov except during the off-season (Nov- Feb) when all sites are walk-in. The park has 44 total sites divided into two loops– one with 30 amp electric (A loop) and the other with 50 amp (B loop). Water is available at some sites and at the centrally-located dump station. Finding out which sites have water on recreation.gov is a bit confusing. When looking at the “site list” page you will notice no sites have water listed as an“amenity” but it does list the electric. To find out if a site has water, click on the link for specific details of a particular site and it will indicate if there is water hook ups. 

    All sites and roads are paved and easy to navigate in a big rig. Many sites are very long with only eleven sites being less than 45’ in length(and only seven under 40’). One major downside of this park is that only about half the sites(in Loop B) were not flat enough for us to get level without having the wheels off the ground. Smaller RVs or trailers that use blocks instead of automatic leveling jacks should be able to get level. All sites have a picnic table and fire pit. The sites in A Loop(pictured below) have a paved parking space adjacent to the paved RV pad. Campsites are closer together and have fewer trees creating a more open feel than in the B Loop but do back-up to a small pond that makes for a nice view. 

    We stayed in site B1 and loved the privacy and tall trees surrounding the site and the large grassy field next to us. Sites B9 and B11 have great views of the water and offer plenty of room between you and your neighbor while others are tucked nicely into the trees. The patios in B Loop(pictured to the right) have a concrete patio on a cement pad. Most of the patios are located at the back of the campsite. We picked up roughly 15 television channels (including the three major networks) with our antenna. Trees may prevent you from getting satellite if your dish is fixed on the roof. 

    Located in both loops are a bath/shower building(which were very clean), playground, and pavilion. There are hiking/mountain biking trails that leave from the campground. Mountain biking is a big deal here and there is a 10-mile"fast" trail where experienced bikers race frequently. Other amenities include basketball courts, boat launch and picnic pavilions. 

    The park is a few miles from Fort Smith proper and about eight miles to downtown attractions including the National Historical Park. Within two miles are a few restaurants, gas station, and a super Walmart is less than four miles away. The area immediately surrounding the park is a nice part of town that felt safe to us. What we liked was that this park has well-spaced sites, a nice wooded setting and a site with the amenities of electric, water, and a pavement. The location was great to downtown Fort Smith so you didn’t feel isolated if you wanted to go sight-seeing, out to eat, or shopping. Being right on the lake meant we could easily go kayaking or fishing and there were plenty of places to walk throughout the property. Access to the park is easy and manageable for a big-rig towing a car. The price$20/night (or$10 for senior pass holders) is quite the deal. This park is great for dogs with lots of room to walk, trails, and places to swim. 

    The only ding was that if this park would have had sewer at the site. But we loved it anyway and would definitely stay here again. The other ding this park gets is the fact that so many sites are unlevel.

  • Leslie  N.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 13, 2020

    Quarry Island Campground — Lake Wister State Park

    Quiet and Beautiful

    We stayed at RV site #3 on Quarry Island. The concrete pad was perfectly level and took no time to set up. There were 5 RV sites with full hook ups on isle, even though #4 and # 5 are so close to each other that slide outs could bump into each other, and 2 very nice RV sites with only water and electric on the isle. There was also a lot of tent camping, flush and vault toilets, dump station, pavilion, 5 cabins, picnic tables with grills, boat ramp and swimming anywhere you wanted except for 150’ of the boat ramp. The ranger station was on the isle, so traffic was high at check in. There were 2 hiking trails that looked very nice, but never hiked because we were kayaking. My parents stayed in cabin #4 on the isle and my brother tent camped at Wister Ridge. The view from both of their places was breathtaking and his tent site was well shaded with maple, oak and pine. Fishing was very good and wasn’t a whole lot of boat traffic. There is also primitive camping which looked very nice, except for a couple of sites where the campers didn’t clean up too well behind themselves.

    Pros: Beautiful area and amazing views. Everyone was very helpful and friendly. Plenty of options for accommodations and outdoor activities. The Heavner Ruinstone and Spiral Mounds are close. Tons of wildlife areas and we even spotted a bald eagle. The campgrounds and cabins were very clean.

    Cons: RV sites can be very crowded and not well spaced, especially at Victor Landing. The Wards would be the least crowded for RVs. The booking website is not very good and not very accurate. The cabins bed was not very comfortable, the shower was small and flooded the bathroom while using and the kitchen light and living room ceiling fan was on one switch, so there was no way to have the fan going without the light on. Not all RV sites have picnic tables.

  • Ashley W.
    May. 1, 2019

    Cedar Lake (Oklahoma) Equestrian Camp

    My favorite!

    This campground is one of my all time favorites!! It has everything you want in a campground and more. Hiking here is definitely the best, because the views are amazing!! The campground is always really well kept as well which I appreciate. The campsite spots themselves are pretty big in size and are separated by trees and bushes. Feels very private. They do have a quiet hour which is after 10pm. This is nice because there aren’t people partying all night long. There are tent spots and also RV. We camped, so I’m not sure if th RV spots are set up for electricity. The lake nearby is great. We brought our kayaks and had so much fun hitting the lake in the morning. It does get busy as the day goes on, especially in the summer on the weekends. Hiking is great, and there are multiple good spots nearby. Again, go early to beat the crowds! Dogs are welcome but must be on leash. Vaulted toilets on site and a place to fill up your water! Can’t wait to come back.

  • Crystal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 30, 2021

    Queen Wilhelmina State Park — Queen Wihelmina State Park

    Beautiful vistas and some unique additional recreation features

    Driving through this part of Arkansas you can quickly get taken aback by the winding roads the ample beauty, but until you visit the campground and park you will only have a portion of the beauty of the region. High atop the mountain, with a near perfect view, you can see for miles and miles. 

    I visited this park arriving late in the evening, in perfect timing for a sunset which painted the sky with colors that filtered down onto the mountainside below. A dense fog began to roll in and it seemed magical. 

    Typically I am not as taken aback as I was by this park but its views and shaded campsites complimented each other so well it made for the perfect evening. 

    Not needing for electricity I opted for one of the tent sites, which includes a large tent pad, large parking space and standard amenities such as picnic table, lantern hook, fire ring and grill. However unlike many primitive sites, this site did also include water. Site pricing was about $20. 

    Bear warnings abound, but there are no bear boxes, and upon checking in the desk attendant mentioned that they don’t often see them but to proceed with caution in regards to food. She also noted that in her lifetime she had never encountered a bear on the trails and would instead be aware of snakes. 

    The campground is only one of the many features with others including a lodge with a restaurant open each evening until 9 p.m. A narrow gauge train, large enough for the entire family to ride on the 2 mile track and mini golf are available seasonally. Plenty of hiking is available both in park, where there are 3 trails, and just outside where you can find the much larger trail system which runs for some 200 miles through Oklahoma and Arkansas. 

    Cell Signal With AT&T- 1 Bar at campsites but 2 bars in lobby area if you are in need of making a call in case of an emergency. 

    All in all I would put this campground on the top of my Arkansas list for the beauty of drive and sunset location, however the sites themselves despite being very nice were average for a state park in the region.


Guide to Fort Smith

Nestled in the scenic Ozark region, Fort Smith, Arkansas offers a variety of tent camping options that cater to nature lovers seeking tranquility and adventure.

Tips for tent camping near Fort Smith

  • For a peaceful experience, consider camping at Natural Dam, where the soothing sounds of a nearby waterfall can drown out distant road noise.
  • If you're looking for a secluded spot, Riverfield Acreage- White River provides a private setting perfect for families and groups wanting to disconnect from the hustle and bustle.
  • Be prepared for a primitive experience at Jack Creek Recreation Area, where you can enjoy nature without the distractions of modern amenities.

Local activities for adventure seekers

  • At Horseshoe Bend Primitive Public Use Area, you can explore the beautiful Illinois River, perfect for kayaking and fishing.
  • Hiking enthusiasts will appreciate the small trails along the creek at Natural Dam, offering a chance to connect with nature and enjoy the stunning scenery.
  • For a refreshing swim, visit Jack Creek Recreation Area, where a nearby swimming hole awaits on warm days.

Tent campers appreciate these amenities

  • Camping Kings allows pets, making it a great choice for those who want to bring their furry friends along for the adventure.
  • Enjoy the freedom of campfires at Horseshoe Bend Primitive Public Use Area, where you can gather around the fire after a day of exploring.
  • While amenities may be limited, Riverfield Acreage- White River offers a tranquil environment with picnic tables for a comfortable outdoor dining experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Fort Smith, AR?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Fort Smith, AR is COE John Paul Hammerschmidt Lake Springhill Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 4 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Fort Smith, AR?

TheDyrt.com has all 19 tent camping locations near Fort Smith, AR, with real photos and reviews from campers.